I am a female photographer, so naturally I look up to other female photographers.
For the next few blog posts I will be focusing on women to make art, tell a story, and expose the truth with a camera.
The first photographer I want to write about is
Eve Arnold (below).
Eve Arnold is an American photojournalist who is best know for photographing celebrities in a candid, honest way. She did not play up her subjects, but instead made them beautifully human. She was a person who could identify with anyone, and this trait helped even her most guarded subjects reveal sides of themselves they would usually keep hidden from the camera.
What Arnold looked to capture in a photograph is a moment of emotion. In Bar Girl in a Brothel, she catches a moment of desperation and sadness that tells the story of this young woman's struggle.
Malcolm X, 1960
Arnold was not afraid of controversy, and she knew that the portrait above of Malcolm X with his ring with the Islamic symbol would cause a stir. Arnold was extremely good at setting up a composition in a portrait to tell the story about the person. In Malcolm X, she has Malcolm place his ring in full view with a watch on the same arm, symbolizing the time has come for change. She also has his hand resting on the back of his neck, symbolizing the hardships he is enduring with the weight of the movement of his shoulders. And lastly she has Malcolm staring into a bright light, his gaze symbolizing the bright future ahead.
Marilyn Monroe, 1960
Arnold is best known for her photographs of Marilyn Monroe. The two careers started off around the same time, and the both became very good friends. Arnold was often the photographer Marilyn requested for photo shoots. Arnold's depictions of Marilyn made her relateable, yet eternally gorgeous.
To learn more about Eve Arnold and her work check out her page on
This link includes more photographs, an interview, and the history of Eve Arnold.
Enjoy!
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